Independent Test Results
Pentair Water, Brookfield – 11/17/05
Summary
The New Life International Chlorinator System was demonstrated and tested in the Brookfield Water Lab on November 17. Duvon McGuire delivered and set up the system, and instructed the lab technicians on operation. The system was easy to set up, without any tools, and operates off of a 12V-battery power supply. The system is shown below, in Figure 1. A brine solution (NaCl) is placed in one side of the device, while tap water with a small amount of salt is placed in the other. As an electrical potential is applied to the electrodes, the electrolysis reaction that takes place produces chlorine gas. By-products include small amounts of hydrogen gas, which is vented to the atmosphere, and sodium hydroxide, which will be formed in the water. Over time, the NaCl concentration will decrease and the NaOH concentration will increase; both solutions should be replenished regularly. Once the chlorine gas is produced, it is educted by the flowing water into the water stream. The vacuum formed by the flowing water pulls the chlorine gas into the water stream; it also prevents the gas from leaking out into the atmosphere. Typical operation of the device would be recirculating a large holding tank, to a chlorine level of 5-10 mg/L (2-5 mg/L after 1 hour of non-operation).
Figure 1.
New Life International Chlorinator During operation, it is possible to detect that the system is operating by the presence of gas bubbles, which are visible in the NaOH side of the cell. The device produces chlorinated water at a rate that is more than sufficient to destroy, with proper contact time (as instructed in the manual), illness-causing microorganisms in the water.
Test Results
The unit was tested at a flow rate of 6 gpm. The voltage was maintained at 12.5 volts, and the current was allowed to drift. Longer term testing was simulated by increasing the strength of the NaOH in the cell, as the concentration would normally increase over time during operation. The outlet chlorine concentration in the water was monitored, as well as the amperage of the power supply. The results of this testing is shown below:
Testing of Chlorination System
|
Run |
% NaOH (500mL) |
Total Chlorine Outlet (mg/L) |
Normality of NaOH sol’n before 10min run |
Normality of NaOH sol’n after 10min run |
Amp (final) |
Volt (final) |
|
1 |
1% |
11.3 |
0.25 |
0.56 |
10 |
12.5 |
|
2 |
3% |
19.7 |
0.75 |
0.96 |
21 |
12.5 |
|
3 |
5% |
23.8 |
1.25 |
1.44 |
25 |
12.5 |
|
4 |
10% |
25.0 |
2.50 |
2.62 |
26 |
12.5 |
|
5 |
15% |
23.2 |
3.75 |
3.76 |
25 |
12.5 |
|
6 |
20% |
No Test |
||||
| * Voltage and amps were jumping on tests 4 and 5, likely had power supply limitations | ||||||
| A) 300 mL of saturated NaCl solution (Salometer measured 98), 500mL of Sodium Hydroxide Solution | ||||||
| B) Flow rate of inlet water (Brookfield tap water) approximately 6gpm | ||||||
| C) Bubbles appeared to increase as the NaOH % was increased | ||||||
| D) Lab results are not from certified lab | ||||||
| E) First sample taken was 1.22 mg/L Chlorine, therefore Inlet water was <1.22 mg/L Chlorine | ||||||
| F) Blank DI water measured about 0.09 mg/L Chlorine which could affect a 20x diluted sample by 1.8 mg/L | ||||||
| G) NaOH samples titrated with 1N H2SO4 (est. made from concentrate H2SO4) | ||||||
The following graph shows the correlation between amperage, NaOH concentration, and chlorine level. It should be noted that the amperage of the final two samples was limited by the power capabilities of the power supply. 
Figure 2. Chlorinator System Test Graph